Ash tray



July 11, 1933.

E. BOWERMAN 1,917,491

ASH TRAY Filed Dec. 21. 1929 @www ATTORNEYS Patented `luly l1, 1933 UNITED STATES Em BOWEBHAN, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

ASH TRAY .Application med December 21, 1929. Serial No. 415,667.

This invention relates to an ash tray.

The object of the invention is a cheap ash tray, which is easily and quickly manufactured in quantity production and which has a neatand pleasing appearance. The ash trays are intended to be manufactured at such a slight cost that they can be discarded after a single use and, therefore, are particularly adapted for service in hotels and other public places where they will be thrown away after having been used, rather than being emptied and used a second time.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the follow- 5 ing description and claims, and the accompanying drawing.

lVhile the invention may be illustrated by various embodiments, the following description is intended to set forth a. preferred form zo ofthe invention, such preferred form, however, to be regarded as typical only of man y possible embodiments and the invention 1s not to be confined thereto.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan or top view of the finished ash tray.

Fig. 2 is a. section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial section showing the layers of material from which the ash tray is made and showing the adhesive and stiiening material.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the method of manufacturing the ash tray.

From the drawing, it will be seen that the ash tray is formed with a base 1 having upstanding sides 2. The base of the ash tray is preferably formed with embossments 3 to space the tray from the table on which it is to stand, so as to provide an air space below the base to prevent the heat of hot ashes or a burning cigar stub from being transmitted to the table.

The ash tray is preferably made from a plurality of layers of material 4, 5 and 6, 45 which are pressed into shape by the dies 7 and 8. As illustrated in Fig. 3, there are three layers `of material, although any number of layers may be used. All of the layers may be of a fireproof material, such as asbestos, or only the inner laye." may be of asbestes and the intermediate and outer layers may be of a. less expensive material.

The usual ash trays have a rather thick rim or upper edge 9 on the sides 2, so that it is rather difficult to break the burning end of a cigar or cigarette off of the stub and also the thick upper edge gives a somewhat unsightly and clumsy appearance to the ash tray. In the. present ash tray the upper edge of the side of the tray is of the thickness of only a single layer of the material, which provides a thin rim 9 which is pleasing in appearance, and enables the burning end of the cigarette or cigar stub to be more or less cut ofi' of the stub, rather than torn off. In order to 0b- 65 tain the thin rim for the ash tray, but yet provide strength from the sides of the tray, the layers of material from which the tray is made are so placed that the edge 10 of the side of the outer layer 6 is below the edge 9 70 of the side of the inner layer, but the full thickness of all of the layers of the material from which the ash tray is made, are present in the lower part of the sides of the ash tray and at the point 11 where the sides join the 75 Y base 1. If there are more than two layers of material in the .ash tray, the edge of the side of each outer layer is successively lower than the edge of the side of the next inner layer. This gives a somewhat tapered appearance, instead of a thick appearance, to the rim of the ash tray and the rim itself is only of the thickness of a single layer of the material.

The layers of material from which the ash tray is made, are preferably held together with an adhesive and, if all of the layers are of a rather weak material, such as asbestos, they are preferably impregnated with a stiii'ening material. A starch glue or 90 paste has the properties of being both a stiffener and an adhesive and is preferably used, although other chemicals which have only adhesive properties or only stilfening properties may be used in conjunction with each other. If the outer layers of the. ash tray are of a stift' material. it will be necessary to use only an adhesive for holding the layers to` gether. The stippling 12 in Fig. 3, denotes either the stiifening material or the adhesive 100 the tray are placed in a pile material, or the combined stilening or adhesive material, whichever is used. n some instances asbestos or other paper previously impregnated with either a stiiener or an adhesive or both, is used. Before forming it into shape, the paper is preferably dampened with a liquid, usually water, to soften it and to 1activate the stifl'ening or adhesive materia In manufacturing the ash trays, blanksv of a suitable size and outline are provided. These blanks may be and preferably are, all of the same size, as is illustrated in Fig. 4. The advantages, from manufacturing point of view, of the use of blanks of only a single size will be appreciated as only a single blank cutting machine will be necessary and it will be unnecessary to select different sized blanks from different piles and to assemble them before putting them into the die ress.

The correct number of blanks to e used in as is shown in Fig. 4, above the die 8. Suitable spacing pins 13 are preferably placed on the die to position the blanks, so that the edges of the blanks are everywhere equidistant from the ed es 1 4 of the depressed portion of the die. efore the blanks are placed in position on the die, the contacting surfaces are preferably coated with an adhesive and the-blanks are impregnated with the stiifenin material, if a stifening material is used. f the material which is used has previously been impregnated with either a stiiener or an adhesive, the blanks are preferably sprayed or dampened with the water or other suitable liquid to soften the material and to activate the stilener or adhesive. If the inner layer 4 is to be of asbestos and the intermediate and outer layers 5 and 6 are to be of other material, the blanks should be placed on the die, so that the asbestos layer is uppermost. It may be desirable to cut the blanksv at the same time that the tray is formed. In order to accomplish this the dies may be provided with cutting blades, for instance the die 7 may be provided with a cutter 15 which fits closely around the die 8, so that as the die 7 is brought down the blanks are irst cut and then formed into shape. Y

As the blanks are properly placed on the die (with the edges of the blanks in line, in the case where all the blanks are the saine size), the cooperating die is pressed downwardly into the other die, as is shown in Fig. 5. If the blanks are properly placed before the pressing, the ash tray will be formed with the thin rim as above described and the upper edges of the outer layers of the material will be successively lower than the rim of the inner layer. This will provide the thin rim of the thickness of only a single layer of material, which isdesired.

After pressing the blanks into the desired form, and holding them in position long oughliyl set. v

lt ou h a preferred form of the inventionl has been escribed, it is recognized that modiications may be made and it is, therefore, desired that the invention be construed as broad ly as the claims taken in conjunction with t e prior art, may allow.

I claim:

1. An ash tray having a base and upstanding sides and comprising an inner layer and an outer layer of material, the edge of the side of the outer layer being below the edge of the side of the inner layer to provide a thin rim of the thickness of only a single layer of material and a plurality of layers below the edge to strengthen the sides at the juncture with the base.

.2. An ash tray having a b ase and upstanding sides and comprising an inner layer and an outer layer of sheet material, the layers being held together by an adhesive, the edge of the side of the outer layer being below the edge of the side of the inner la er to provide a thin rim and to strengthen t e sides at the juncture with the base.

3. An ash tray having a. base and upstanding sides and comprisi-n inner, intermediate and outer layers, the e ge of the side of an outer layer being lower than the edge of the side of the next inner layer, to provide a thin rim and to strengthen the sides at their juncture with the base.

'4. An ash tray having a base and u standing sides and comprising a plurality of) layers, the ed successively lower than the edge of the side of the next inner layers to provide a thin rim and to strengthen the sides at their juncture with the base. l

5. An ash tray having a base and upstanding sides formed from a plurality of blanks of the same sizeand having the upper edge of the o uter layer below the upper edge of the inner layer to provide a thin rim of a single thickness of material so as to facilitate the removal of ashes from cigars, cigarettes and thelike.

6. An ash tray formed from a plurality of blanks of the same size the top blank or the blank forming the inner layerV of the ash tray comprising a blank of asbestos or ireproof material, said ash tray having a base and upstanding sides, the upper edge of the outer layer being below the upper edge of the inner layer to provide a thin rim of a single thickness of material so as to facilitate removal of ashes from cigars, cigarettes and the like, the layer O1' layers below the edge being provided of the side of each outer layer being to strengthen the'sides of the ash tray at the juncture with the base.

7. A device of thecharacter described adapted to be used as an ash tray and discarded after such use, which includes a dished article made from a plurality of superimposed sheets of substantially the same size and having an inner sheet layer and an outer sheet layer; the upper edge of the inner layer being higher than the upper edge of the outer sheet layer to provide a thin rim of the thickness of only a single layer of sheet material, and the concentric layers about said inner sheet layer being adapted to strengthen said layer without adding to the thickness of said thin rim, said thin rim being adapted to facilitate the removal of ashes from cigars, cigarettes and the like.

-8. A device of the character described, adapted to be used as an ash tray and discarded after Asuch use, which includes, a dished article made from a plurality of superimposed sheets of substantially the same size and having an inner sheet layer andan outer sheet layer, said inner sheet layer comprising asbestos or lire-proof material, the upper edge of the inner layer being higher than the upper edge of the outer sheet layer to provide a thin rim of the thickness of only a single layer of sheet material, and the concentric layers about said-inner sheet layer being adapted to strengthen said layer without adding to the thickness of said thin rim, said thin r1m being adapted to facilitate the remlpval of ashes from cigars, cigarettes and the li e.

adapted to be used as an ash tray and discarded after such use, which includes, a

of superimposed sheets of substantially the same size and having an inner sheet layer and an outer sheet layer, the sheets in the finished device being held together by an adhesive, the upper edge of the inner layer be- 9. A device of the character described,

ing higher than the upper edge of the outer i December, 1929.

' EMMA BOWERMAN.

75 dished article formed by molding a plurality 

